Paper box



(No Model.)

J. W. TATUM.

PAPER BOX. No; 285,706. Patented Sept. 25, 1883.

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PETUIS Phnln-Llllwgnpher. Wahwm. no v UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFI E.

. JOHN W. TATUM, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,706, dated September 25, 1883.

Application filed July 16,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. TATUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chester, Delawarecounty, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Paper Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my invention is to so construct a paper box that the ends of the same will be firmly looked, a further object being to securely attach a handle to the box. These objects I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a View of a blank from which my improved paper box is made; Fig. 2, a perspective View, and Figs. 3 ands. diagrams, showing the method of interlocking the end flaps; Fig. 5, a view of the end of the box, showing the flaps locked; Fig. 6, a perspective view, showing a modified form of lock; and Fig. 7, a view showing the method of at taching a handle to the box.

In Fig. 1, A, B, D, and F represent those portions of the blank which form the four sides of the box, the portion A having a projection, m, which is secured to the portion F in making the box. The blank has opposite end flaps, a, I), d, and f, forming continuations of the sides A, B, D, and F, respectively, the

inner flaps, b f, being plain, and the outer flaps, a and (I, being constructed to interlock in the following manner: On each of the flaps a is a central dovetailed tongue, m, and in each of the flaps d is a central dovetailed recess, a, Fig. 1, the base or wide portion of the latter being equal in width to the base or narrow portion of the tongue. After the two inner flaps, b and f, have been folded down, one over the other, the flaps a and d are brought together, as shown in Fig. 3, the point of .the tongue at being passed through the recess n, and said tongue being curved or bent, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to contract it in width sufficiently to permit this passage. (See Fig. 2.) XVhen the tongue has been passed through the recess and flattened out, as shown in Fig. 5, the two flaps a and d will be firmly interlocked, and cannot be separated without first bending the tongue m sufficiently to pen mit it to be drawn back through the recess n,

r so that accidental separation of the flaps is improbable. The tongue at is pointed at the end, and is retained against the flap d by adapting its pointed end to a slot, '5, in said flap, and the flap cl is preferably cut so as to form on each side of the recess a a tongue, 1), the pointed end of which is adapted to a slot, h, in the flap a. This, however, is not essential, as the flap may, if desired, have the outline shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. By passing a tongue on'the under flap, a, through a recess in the outer flap, (1, as the two flaps are folded together in the manner described, a more secure locking of the two flaps can be effected than when the outer flap is first folded down over the inner flap, and then retained by adapting projections on said outer flap to notches in the inner flap.

It will be observed on reference to Fig. '1 that the flaps b and f are of the full width of the sides of the box, and have notches sin the edges at and near the bends, so as to facilitate the folding down of the flaps. By making the inner flaps, b f, of the full width of the sides in this manner, there will be a lateral'crowding of said flaps by the flaps a and (1 when the latter are turned down, and the rigidity of the ends of the box will be thereby increased. A handle, G, is secured to the box, as shown in Fig. 7, the handle consisting of a strip, t, of paper or pasteboard, with circular enlargementst at the ends, the opposite edges of these enlargements being sprung into curved slots t of the sides of the box.

Instead of forming in the flaps d a dovetailedrecess, a, as shown, a curved slot, a, may be formed therein, as shown in Fig. 6, said slot being of such dimensions that the distance between its ends in a straight line is equal to the width of the narrow part of the tongue m, while the distance between the ends following the curve of the slot is equal to the width of the wide portion of said tongue. The latter is first bent so as to pass through the slot,and then allowed to expand, so as to prevent its withdrawal, in'the manner before explained, and such a slot I therefore consider to be the equivalent of the recess 02, and claim it as such. Even when the recess a is used, it is preferable to curve the lower end oi the same, as shown, so as to facilitate the passage of the tongue, and for the same reason theslots 2. The combination of the handle-strip t h and i are curved, the convex side of the having enlargements t at the ends, with the curve being toward the tongue. box having in the sideslots 25 for the reoep 15 In the box shown in Fig. 6 the flap d has tion of said enlargements, as set forth. 5 but one tongue 1) and the flap a but one slot In testimony whereof I have signed my name h, instead of two as in the box shown in Figs. to this specification in the presence of two 1, 4, and 5. subscribing witnesses.

I claim as my invention JOHN L TATUM.

1. The combination of the flap a of the box, 10 having apointed and dovetailed tongue,m, and Witnesses:

slot h, with the flap (I, having a recess, n, HARRY L. ASHENFELTER,. tongue 19, and a slot i, as set forth. HARRY SMITH. 

